Characterization and Reuse of Oil and Gas Waters
Quantities of Water Associated with Oil and Gas Development
Geophysical Mapping of Produced Water in Near-Surface Environments
Brine Research Instrumentation and Experimental (BRInE) Laboratory
The primary objective of this project is to provide information on the volume, quality, impacts, and possible uses of water produced during generation and development of energy resources (particularly hydrocarbons) as well as related fluids injected into reservoirs for energy development and associated waste disposal. The purpose of this work is to address scientific and societal questions regarding the linkage between energy development and water resources, and the characteristics and effects of aqueous fluids in hydrocarbon systems.
Lithium and other commodities in subsurface sedimentary basin/oilfield brines
National Scale Commodity Estimates
Wastewater from oil and gas production often contains high concentrations of critical elements, particularly the lithium needed for emerging battery technologies. Madalyn Blondes and collaborators are leading a study using commodity concentrations from the USGS National Produced Waters Geochemical Database along with oil and gas brine production data to calculate the mass of commodities produced within existing oil and gas waste streams.
The Smackover Formation
Andrew Masterson, Katherine Knierim, and Madalyn Blondes are leading studies to characterize lithium in brines in the Smackover Formation in southern Arkansas. This research is collaborative between the USGS Energy Resources Program funded Oil and Gas Waters Project (Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center), the USGS Water Mission Area funded Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, and the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment – Office of the State Geologist. Madalyn Blondes is using newly collected geochemical and isotopic data to interpret the origin of the high lithium brines in the Smackover. Andrew Masterson is leading detailed core and isotopic work to help understand mechanisms of lithium enrichment and is also expanding our sampling campaign to northern Louisiana and Alabama. Katherine Knierim used the USGS National Produced Waters Geochemical Database version 3.0 and new lithium concentration data in brines to train a machine-learning model that generate spatially continuous prediction maps of sedimentary basin brine lithium from regional geology, geochemistry, and temperature data. In an upcoming paper, the model was used to estimate lithium resources in the Smackover of southern Arkansas. The Oil and Gas Waters Project is now using this model to lead an expanded assessment of lithium resources for the entire Smackover Formation throughout the Gulf Coast, as well as other target formations throughout the United States.
Appalachian Basin
Bonnie McDevitt and collaborators are using isotopic tracers (7Li/6Li, 11B/10B, 138Ba/134Ba) to better understand the mechanisms for lithium enrichment in the Utica/Point Pleasant Formation and generally characterize lithium in brines of the Appalachian Basin. Isotopic tracers indicate thermal maturation (i.e., oil to dry gas) in unconventional petroleum reservoirs may be an important consideration to more efficiently target brines with elevated lithium concentrations for commercial production.
Industrial Applications
Bonnie McDevitt is leading work with academic partners to characterize the fate and transport of contaminants such as radium, which can be elevated in oil and gas brines, but has an unknown impact during lithium or other commodity extraction processes. This contaminant fate and transport assessment is intended to protect environmental and human health during the beneficial reuse of oil and gas wastewater.
The BRInE Lab: Analysis of high salinity brines
The Brine Research Instrumentation and Experimental (BRInE) Laboratory addresses the challenges of analyzing high salinity oil and gas wastewaters, “produced waters,” by adapting traditional methods of water analysis. Jessica Chenault (Laboratory Manager) and Amanda Herzberg (Laboratory Analyst) perform inorganic analysis of produced waters for geochemical fingerprinting and interpretation, environmental and human health impacts (e.g., disposal, reuse), and understanding potential mineral commodities (e.g., lithium). Andrew Masterson leads the research arm of the BRInE Laboratory including the mineralogical controls, thermal behavior, and isotope geochemistry of lithium at the geological conditions typical of oil and gas reservoirs, and Aaron Jubb’s laboratory studies on the fundamental properties of brines.
Quantities of Waters Associated with Oil and Gas
Seth Haines, Nick Gianoutsos, Brian Varela, and collaborators focus on quantifying the water volume used during hydrocarbon development and the water volume produced along with oil and gas. Hydraulic fracturing is an integral part of oil and gas development in many areas, and associated water usage has increased considerably over the last decade. Water produced from petroleum reservoirs includes hydraulic fracturing water that flows back to the surface (“flowback water”) as well as water that naturally exists in the reservoir (“formation water”). Produced water quantities vary substantially in both time and place (locally and between different petroleum producing areas), and the produced water can represent a resource or a waste product needing disposal.
We assess quantities of the water used and produced during hydraulic fracturing, as well as the quantities of proppant (typically sand) used for hydraulic fracturing. The assessments are derived from geologically based oil and gas assessments completed by the USGS. In addition, we conduct related research on water used for hydraulic fracturing and water produced with oil and gas.
Geophysical Mapping of Produced Waters
Lyndsay Ball, Michael Stephens, and Bennett Hoogenboom are leading work advancing the application of geophysical techniques to evaluate groundwater quality in areas of oil and gas development. Oil and gas production often results in substantial volumes of produced water. These waters are commonly elevated in salinity and electrical conductivity in comparison to shallow groundwater; geophysical techniques can be used to map these differences in water quality. Improved salinity mapping can enhance environmental management, identify potential contamination pathways, and provide insight into subsurface hydrogeologic conditions that may be beneficial for other studies on geochemistry, ecosystem health, and water quality and availability.
We analyze geophysical data at multiple scales to advance groundwater salinity characterization in areas of oil and gas development, including the use of time-lapse airborne electromagnetic surveys to monitor brine transport in surficial aquifers and borehole geophysical log analysis of salinity in formations that lie between groundwater aquifers and hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Characterization and Reuse of Oil and Gas Waters
Our team collects new water samples from conventional and hydraulically fractured unconventional plays in oil and gas basins for a range of applications. In some cases, we can use the geochemistry to interpret deep basin fluid flow and fingerprint brines from specific reservoirs. Characterizing the chemistry can help better understand produced water impacts at the surface or in shallow subsurface aquifers and is integral to help inform treatment and reuse options. We have worked extensively in the Appalachian (Marcellus and Utica), Gulf, Permian, Williston, and Denver-Julesburg Basins.
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in produced waters
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are man-made chemicals used to make heat-resistant and slick surfaces for a wide range of industries. These ‘forever chemicals’ represent a growing concern to human health following environmental release. PFAS can be used during drilling and hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells, which could lead to appreciable PFAS concentrations in oil and gas wastewaters and thus a potential source of PFAS into the environment given unintended release of those energy associated wastes. However, the specific chemical identity, distribution, and persistence for these harmful compounds within oil and gas wastewaters are unknown. Aaron Jubb is leading a scoping effort to measure PFAS compounds in oil and gas wastewaters. Initial efforts are focused on evaluating wastewaters from the hydraulically fractured Late Cretaceous Niobrara Formation in the Denver-Julesburg Basin.
The primary objective of this project is to provide information on the volume, quality, impacts, and possible uses of water produced during generation and development of energy resources (particularly hydrocarbons) as well as related fluids injected into reservoirs for energy development and associated waste disposal. The purpose of this work is to address scientific and societal questions regarding the linkage between energy development and water resources, and the characteristics and effects of aqueous fluids in hydrocarbon systems.
Lithium and other commodities in subsurface sedimentary basin/oilfield brines
National Scale Commodity Estimates
Wastewater from oil and gas production often contains high concentrations of critical elements, particularly the lithium needed for emerging battery technologies. Madalyn Blondes and collaborators are leading a study using commodity concentrations from the USGS National Produced Waters Geochemical Database along with oil and gas brine production data to calculate the mass of commodities produced within existing oil and gas waste streams.
The Smackover Formation
Andrew Masterson, Katherine Knierim, and Madalyn Blondes are leading studies to characterize lithium in brines in the Smackover Formation in southern Arkansas. This research is collaborative between the USGS Energy Resources Program funded Oil and Gas Waters Project (Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center), the USGS Water Mission Area funded Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, and the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment – Office of the State Geologist. Madalyn Blondes is using newly collected geochemical and isotopic data to interpret the origin of the high lithium brines in the Smackover. Andrew Masterson is leading detailed core and isotopic work to help understand mechanisms of lithium enrichment and is also expanding our sampling campaign to northern Louisiana and Alabama. Katherine Knierim used the USGS National Produced Waters Geochemical Database version 3.0 and new lithium concentration data in brines to train a machine-learning model that generate spatially continuous prediction maps of sedimentary basin brine lithium from regional geology, geochemistry, and temperature data. In an upcoming paper, the model was used to estimate lithium resources in the Smackover of southern Arkansas. The Oil and Gas Waters Project is now using this model to lead an expanded assessment of lithium resources for the entire Smackover Formation throughout the Gulf Coast, as well as other target formations throughout the United States.
Appalachian Basin
Bonnie McDevitt and collaborators are using isotopic tracers (7Li/6Li, 11B/10B, 138Ba/134Ba) to better understand the mechanisms for lithium enrichment in the Utica/Point Pleasant Formation and generally characterize lithium in brines of the Appalachian Basin. Isotopic tracers indicate thermal maturation (i.e., oil to dry gas) in unconventional petroleum reservoirs may be an important consideration to more efficiently target brines with elevated lithium concentrations for commercial production.
Industrial Applications
Bonnie McDevitt is leading work with academic partners to characterize the fate and transport of contaminants such as radium, which can be elevated in oil and gas brines, but has an unknown impact during lithium or other commodity extraction processes. This contaminant fate and transport assessment is intended to protect environmental and human health during the beneficial reuse of oil and gas wastewater.
The BRInE Lab: Analysis of high salinity brines
The Brine Research Instrumentation and Experimental (BRInE) Laboratory addresses the challenges of analyzing high salinity oil and gas wastewaters, “produced waters,” by adapting traditional methods of water analysis. Jessica Chenault (Laboratory Manager) and Amanda Herzberg (Laboratory Analyst) perform inorganic analysis of produced waters for geochemical fingerprinting and interpretation, environmental and human health impacts (e.g., disposal, reuse), and understanding potential mineral commodities (e.g., lithium). Andrew Masterson leads the research arm of the BRInE Laboratory including the mineralogical controls, thermal behavior, and isotope geochemistry of lithium at the geological conditions typical of oil and gas reservoirs, and Aaron Jubb’s laboratory studies on the fundamental properties of brines.
Quantities of Waters Associated with Oil and Gas
Seth Haines, Nick Gianoutsos, Brian Varela, and collaborators focus on quantifying the water volume used during hydrocarbon development and the water volume produced along with oil and gas. Hydraulic fracturing is an integral part of oil and gas development in many areas, and associated water usage has increased considerably over the last decade. Water produced from petroleum reservoirs includes hydraulic fracturing water that flows back to the surface (“flowback water”) as well as water that naturally exists in the reservoir (“formation water”). Produced water quantities vary substantially in both time and place (locally and between different petroleum producing areas), and the produced water can represent a resource or a waste product needing disposal.
We assess quantities of the water used and produced during hydraulic fracturing, as well as the quantities of proppant (typically sand) used for hydraulic fracturing. The assessments are derived from geologically based oil and gas assessments completed by the USGS. In addition, we conduct related research on water used for hydraulic fracturing and water produced with oil and gas.
Geophysical Mapping of Produced Waters
Lyndsay Ball, Michael Stephens, and Bennett Hoogenboom are leading work advancing the application of geophysical techniques to evaluate groundwater quality in areas of oil and gas development. Oil and gas production often results in substantial volumes of produced water. These waters are commonly elevated in salinity and electrical conductivity in comparison to shallow groundwater; geophysical techniques can be used to map these differences in water quality. Improved salinity mapping can enhance environmental management, identify potential contamination pathways, and provide insight into subsurface hydrogeologic conditions that may be beneficial for other studies on geochemistry, ecosystem health, and water quality and availability.
We analyze geophysical data at multiple scales to advance groundwater salinity characterization in areas of oil and gas development, including the use of time-lapse airborne electromagnetic surveys to monitor brine transport in surficial aquifers and borehole geophysical log analysis of salinity in formations that lie between groundwater aquifers and hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Characterization and Reuse of Oil and Gas Waters
Our team collects new water samples from conventional and hydraulically fractured unconventional plays in oil and gas basins for a range of applications. In some cases, we can use the geochemistry to interpret deep basin fluid flow and fingerprint brines from specific reservoirs. Characterizing the chemistry can help better understand produced water impacts at the surface or in shallow subsurface aquifers and is integral to help inform treatment and reuse options. We have worked extensively in the Appalachian (Marcellus and Utica), Gulf, Permian, Williston, and Denver-Julesburg Basins.
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in produced waters
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are man-made chemicals used to make heat-resistant and slick surfaces for a wide range of industries. These ‘forever chemicals’ represent a growing concern to human health following environmental release. PFAS can be used during drilling and hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells, which could lead to appreciable PFAS concentrations in oil and gas wastewaters and thus a potential source of PFAS into the environment given unintended release of those energy associated wastes. However, the specific chemical identity, distribution, and persistence for these harmful compounds within oil and gas wastewaters are unknown. Aaron Jubb is leading a scoping effort to measure PFAS compounds in oil and gas wastewaters. Initial efforts are focused on evaluating wastewaters from the hydraulically fractured Late Cretaceous Niobrara Formation in the Denver-Julesburg Basin.